Biography
Umberto Mozzoni was born in Buenos Aires, but his family later moved to Macerata, Italy. He attended the seminary there before going to Rome, where he studied at the Pontifical Roman Seminary, Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare, and the University of Rome. Ordained a priest on August 14, 1927, Mozzoni then did pastoral work in the Diocese of Macerata and taught at its seminary until 1935. He successively served as secretary and auditor of the apostolic delegations to Canada and Great Britain, and the nunciature to Portugal. He was raised to the rank of a Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness on October 7, 1936, and a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on January 2, 1948.
On November 13, 1954, Mozzoni was appointed Nuncio to Bolivia and Titular Archbishop of Side. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 5 from Cardinal James Charles McGuigan, with Archbishop Antonio Samoré and Bishop Sivio Cassulo serving as co-consecrators, in the chapel of the Pontifical Roman Seminary. During his tenure as the Bolivian nuncio, he worked for the protection of foreign missionaries. Mozzoni was later named Nuncio to Argentina on September 20, 1958, dispatching 2,000 missionaries in October 1960 "to open the dialogue between the Church and Argentina on the everlasting efficacy of the Gospel for the advancement of the Argentine people". He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, and became Nuncio to Brazil on April 19, 1969.
Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eugenio in the consistory of March 5, 1973. On June 19, 1974, Mozzoni was appointed President of the Cardinalatial Commission for the Shrines of Pompei and Loreto. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively. Mozzoni was Cardinal Protodeacon from June 15, 1980 until he chose to become a Cardinal Priest, with the same titular church, on February 2, 1983.
The Cardinal collapsed while celebrating Mass and later died in a Roman clinic, at age 79. He is buried in the Cathedral of Macerata.
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